Organizer for holding clip fasteners

ABSTRACT

An organizer for holding clip fasteners, includes a rectilinear frame having upper and lower members, at least one flexible strap extending vertically between the upper and lower members of the frame with each end of the at least one flexible strap fixedly attached to the corresponding upper and lower members of the frame wherein the at least one flexible strap is configured for operative engagement with the clip fasteners, an enclosure area defined by a periphery extending along an inner portion of the rectilinear frame with the enclosure area being sufficiently dimensioned to encompass the at least one strap and the clip fasteners engaged thereto, and fasteners for mounting the organizer to a vertical substrate.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to organizers, and more particularly to an organizer for holding clip fasteners such as hair clips in a neat and orderly arrangement, which enhances convenient access and visibility of the held clip fasteners to the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Clip fasteners are used in a range of applications such as, for example, hair and fashion accessories, and personal care products. Clip fasteners generally include opposable members, which operatively engage one another to hold loose articles together or for securing attachment to another article such as clothing. Such clip fasteners are typically stored away cluttered in ordinary containers. Subsequently, the user is often required to rummage through a jumbled mass when searching for a particular clip fastener.

Accordingly, there is a need for an organizer for holding clip fasteners including, for example, hair clips, in an effective and secure manner, while enhancing access, visibility, quick retrieval and overall appearance in general. There is a further need for an organizer for holding clip fasteners that can store such clip fasteners in a manner that resolves many of the problems typically associated with prior art methods of storing clip fasteners.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to organizers for holding clip fasteners. The organizer of the present invention is designed to accommodate and store one or more clip fasteners in a neat and orderly arrangement, while providing the user with enhanced visibility and access to the stored clip fasteners. The organizer of the present invention includes a frame having a continuous construction with an upper member and a lower member for supporting one or more flexible straps in a vertical arrangement therebetween. The flexible straps provide a pliable substrate suitable for receiving and engaging clip fasteners of various types. The flexible straps are suitably dimensioned to prevent rotational movement of the clip fastener about the strap, and to provide sufficient frictional contact with the clip fastener to facilitate secure engagement therebetween. The flexible straps may be set in a spaced apart arrangement, in a juxtaposed arrangement or in an overlapped arrangement.

In addition, the frame includes a front portion and a rear portion from which the flexible straps may be recessed to minimize inadvertent contact that could dislodge or damage the held clip fasteners. Optionally, the organizer may further include means for mounting the frame to a vertical substrate such as, for example, a wall or a door.

In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an organizer for holding clip fasteners, comprising:

-   -   a continuous frame having upper and lower members; and     -   at least one flexible strap extending vertically between the         upper and lower members of the frame with each end of the at         least one flexible strap affixed to the corresponding upper and         lower members of the frame wherein the at least one flexible         strap is configured for operative engagement with the clip         fasteners.

In a more particular aspect of the present invention, there is provided an organizer for clip fasteners, comprising:

-   -   a rectilinear frame having upper and lower members;     -   at least one flexible strap extending vertically between the         upper and lower members of the frame with each end of the at         least one flexible strap fixedly attached to the corresponding         upper and lower members of the frame wherein the at least one         flexible strap is configured for operative engagement with the         clip fasteners;     -   an enclosure area defined by a periphery extending along an         inner portion of the rectilinear frame with said enclosure area         sufficiently dimensioned to encompass the at least one strap and         the clip fasteners engaged thereto; and     -   means for mounting the organizer to a vertical substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings are illustrative of embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention as encompassed by the claims forming part of the application.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an organizer for holding clip fasteners shown with several clip fasteners engaged with the flexible straps in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of an organizer for holding clip fasteners in another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the organizer of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the organizer; and

FIG. 5 is a partial rear perspective view of the organizer shown with several clip fasteners engaged with the flexible straps.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an organizer for holding clip fasteners including, for example, hair clips. The organizer is designed to facilitate convenient placement, storage and subsequent retrieval of the held clip fasteners. The organizer of the present invention greatly improves access and visibility of the held clip fasteners to the user, while maintaining an overall visually pleasing appearance. The organizer of the present invention generally includes a continuous frame having upper and lower members with one or more flexible straps extending vertically therebetween. The flexible straps are suitably dimensioned to enable the clip fasteners to engage the straps securely in a manner that eliminates any rotational movement about the vertical axis of the strap and generate sufficient frictional contact therebetween to prevent vertical movement along the length of the strap. The organizer may further include means for mounting the organizer on a vertical substrate such as, for example, a wall or a door. The organizer is cost effective and simple to make and use.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an organizer 10 for holding clip fasteners 12 is shown for one embodiment of the present invention. The organizer 10 is designed to accommodate and store one or more clip fasteners 12 in a neat and orderly arrangement that greatly enhance access and display thereof. The organizer 10 further enables the user to quickly and conveniently select or search for a desired clip fastener 12 stored thereon with minimal difficulty.

The organizer 10 generally includes a rectilinear frame 14 having a continuous and integral construction composed of an upper member 16, a lower member 18 and side members 20, and a plurality of flexible straps 26 vertically extending between the upper and lower members 16 and 18 with the ends of the straps 26 securely attached to the upper and lower members 18 and 20, respectively.

The upper, lower and side members 16, 18, 20 in combination, form a periphery 24 extending along the inner portion of the frame 14. The periphery 24 has a depth, d, (as shown best in FIG. 4) measured from the front edge and rear edge portions thereof to define an enclosure area 22. The depth, d, is preferably selected to yield an enclosure area 22 that is sufficiently dimensioned to encompass the straps 26 and the held clip fasteners 12. In this manner, the straps 26 and the held clip fasteners 12 are suitably positioned away from the front and rear portions of the frame 14. This provides the clip fasteners 12 with a degree of clearance for effectively minimizing undesirable contact from the front or rear that could dislodge or damage the clip fasteners 12 engaged with the straps 26.

Optionally, the organizer 10 may further include one or more projections 28 extending away from the frame 14. In a preferred embodiment, the projections 28 extend away from the lower member 18. The projections 28 can be used for suitably holding articles 30 such as clothing, bracelets, elastic hair loops, and the like. It will be understood that the number, placement and configuration of the projections 28 located on the frame 14 may be modified or varied as desired.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the upper member 16 and the lower member 18, and the side members 20, are assembled to yield a rectilinear configuration. The frame members 16, 18, and 20 are fixed securely at their respective ends through suitable fastening means including, but not limited to, adhesives, screw or nail fasteners, brackets, and the like. In the present embodiment, the upper and lower members 16 and 18 each further include a strap-holding strip 34 fixedly mounted to the rear portions thereof via suitable fastening means. In this manner, the respective ends of the straps 26 are retained securely between the strap-holding strips 34 and the corresponding upper and lower members 16 and 18.

The organizer 10 further includes a wall-mounting fastener 32 affixed to the rear portion of the upper member 16. The wall-mounting fastener 32 allows the organizer 10 to be securely mounted to a vertical substrate such as, for example, a door or a wall.

Referring to FIG. 5, the flexible straps 26 are preferably dimensioned to yield a width, w, sufficient to enable a clip fastener 12 to be securely attached thereto. The width, w, of the flexible straps 26 is selected preferably to prevent the held clip fasteners 12 from moving rotationally about the vertical axis of the straps 26, and from moving vertically along the length of the straps 26. The straps 26 are preferably constructed from a flexible material such as, for example, a fabric, having sufficient suppleness to accommodate various clip fastener types including, for example, those that have a curvilinear shape. Each of the straps 26 may further have varying widths, w, to accommodate different types and sizes of clip fasteners. It will be understood that the number, dimension, placement or arrangement, and configuration of the straps 26 located within the enclosure area 22 may be modified or varied as required. For example, the straps 26 may be spaced apart, juxtaposed or overlapped with one another.

The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. 

1. An organizer for holding clip fasteners, comprising: a continuous frame having upper and lower members; and at least one flexible strap extending vertically between the upper and lower members of the frame with each end of the at least one flexible strap fixedly attached to the corresponding upper and lower members of the frame wherein the at least one flexible strap is configured for operative engagement with the clip fasteners.
 2. The organizer of claim 1 wherein the at least one flexible strap is a plurality of flexible straps.
 3. The organizer of claim 1 wherein the at least one flexible strap further includes a width sufficient to prevent rotational movement of the clip fasteners about the vertical axis thereof.
 4. The organizer of claim 3 wherein the at least one flexible strap is a plurality of flexible straps.
 5. The organizer of claim 4 wherein the plurality of flexible straps each has a different width.
 6. The organizer of claim 1 wherein: the frame further comprises a front portion and a rear portion; and the at least one flexible strap is recessed at a distance away from at least one of the front and rear portions of the frame.
 7. The organizer of claim 1 wherein the frame further comprises at least one peg extending away from a portion of the frame.
 8. The organizer of claim 1 further comprising means for mounting the organizer to a vertical substrate.
 9. The organizer of claim 1 further comprises an enclosure area defined by a periphery extending along an inner portion of the continuous frame with said enclosure area sufficiently dimensioned to encompass the at least one strap and the clip fasteners engaged thereto.
 10. The organizer of claim 1 wherein the frame is rectilinear.
 11. An organizer for holding clip fasteners, comprising: a rectilinear frame having upper and lower members; at least one flexible strap extending vertically between the upper and lower members of the frame with each end of the at least one flexible strap fixedly attached to the corresponding upper and lower members of the frame wherein the at least one flexible strap is configured for operative engagement with the clip fasteners; an enclosure area defined by a periphery extending along an inner portion of the rectilinear frame with said enclosure area sufficiently dimensioned to encompass the at least one strap and the clip fasteners engaged thereto; and means for mounting the organizer to a vertical substrate. 